The Kids Aren't Alright
by ThatWrestlingFanWrites
Summary: Follow up to "When It Reigns, It Pours": Dean and Renee are a newlywed couple with a baby girl to look after. Renee is attending school while Dean works two jobs just to keep their heads above water. Can Dean keep things afloat even with the weight of the world on his shoulders?
1. Chapter 1

_Today was the big day Dean Ambrose never thought would happen. Alongside his best friends, the excited and nervous young man waited at the end of the aisle for the only woman he ever truly loved in his entire life._

_"You nervous?" Roman turned to say to the groom. He'd been named Dean's best man shortly after Dean and Renee announced a date for their wedding._

_"Fuck. Off," Dean muttered with a smirk._

_Roman chuckled. "I just can't believe you're getting married."_

_"Me neither, man," Dean admitted with a shrug. "But I'm doing what's right. I love Renee more than life itself, man. Remind me to thank Sika and Patricia again for setting all this up for me."_

_"Not necessary," Roman assured. "It was their pleasure."_

_"Dean's not making a run for it, is he?" Seth quietly asked over his shoulder._

_Dean snickered. "I hate you both so much. But I love you both like brothers."_

_"Love you too, bro," Seth chuckled._

_Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the music started to play and the chapel doors opened. Dean's eyes instantly sprung a leak when the woman of his dreams stepped into the room and started gracefully sauntering down the aisle. The visual that choked Dean up the most was the very obvious, very visible bump in her belly showing through her dress. Renee was afraid the baby would start showing before they were married, but Dean somehow managed to assure her she'd still be beyond beautiful. He still thought that seven months later with Renee's baby bump on display for everyone._

_Renee, her own tears welling up in her eyes, took her place across from her beloved husband to be._

_"Holy shit," Ambrose muttered under his breath. "Babe, you look..."_

_Renee blushed. "Thank you, baby. You look great too."_

_Ambrose shrugged. "Yeah, I know."_

_The pastor began the ceremony. Dean couldn't peel his eyes away from his lovely bride if his life was on the line. Renee couldn't steer her gaze away either. Some would say it was crazy that they got married right out of high school, but Renee and Dean also knew there was no one else for them._

_"And now the vows..."_

_Renee smiled. "Dean Ambrose. I promise to love you and cherish our relationship for the rest of my life. There is no one in this world that I want more, and there is no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with more, than you. You are my everything, Dean. I love you so much."_

_Dean cleared his throat, trying to hide the fact that he was tearing up again. "Renee Young. Or I guess Ambrose in a second. I have been, just, madly in love with you since I was thirteen. When we met, I knew from the jump that you were it for me. I was young and stupid, but I was stupid for you. You're my life and we..." He paused to clear his throat again to mask his tears. "Created a life that I will also love for as long as I am alive. I love you and our little girl so much... Shit, I wasn't supposed to spoil that."_

_Renee, and most of the audience, had a brief laugh at Dean's expense._

_"We're having a girl!" Dean confirmed. "Anyway. I love you so much. I can't wait to share this journey with you, baby."_

_The pastor called for the rings. Renee placed a ring on Dean's finger and vice versa. When it was time to kiss the bride, Dean nearly fell over when Renee lept into his arms. They shared their first kiss as a married couple, then started heading back up the aisle. Dean offered a smart-ass grin to Renee's furious father, but her mom was crying tears of joy for her little girl. Sika slapped Dean on the back as he passed by. Most of Dean and Renee's friends were in the audience as well and cheered for him and Renee as they walked by._

* * *

**Three Years Later**

A sudden blast of sound woke Dean from his pleasant dreams. He quickly reached for his phone to silence his alarm to keep the sleeping blonde beside deep in slumber as long as he could. Dean's job required him to be awake before ten am, which he hated but he loved his family more than getting a few extra hours of sleep every night.

Dean sighed heavily. This daily routine started after he graduated high school. Back then, he thought he would have gotten used to doing this every day, but he was sorely mistaken.

"Just a kid with a drinking permit," Dean chuckled to himself, recalling a joke Renee told him during his 21st birthday the previous year. Dean didn't want to celebrate, but his loving wife insisted they at least share a six-pack of his favorite beer. They did and Dean had the smallest amount of fun he was going to allow himself to have during his "special" day.

Dean sat up. Beside his phone was a folded piece of notebook paper with his name written in a style that could only belong to his beloved Renee.

_-Dean,_

_Had an early study group this morning. I'll see you when you get home after work. Love you so much, baby. _

_Give Elle a kiss for me._

_xoxoxo Renee_

Dean smiled at the note. She could've sent him a text or not said anything at all, but Renee was something special. She usually left notes where she knew Dean would find them, either by his phone or in the fridge next to the beer.

As Dean started to get out of bed, the sound asleep blonde laying beside him began to stir. Her pair of curious blue eyes flickered open and scanned the room, before finding Ambrose and grinning brightly.

"High, sweetie," Dean addressed his little girl. "Had a bad dream again? Mama let you sleep with us?"

The smallest Ambrose giggled and tried hiding under the covers. Dean pulled back the blanket with an animalistic growl, which made his daughter burst into a fit of giggles. Dean scooped his child in his arms with absolute ease and kissed her forehead.

"Mama had to go to school," Dean informed his baby. "That means you get to come to work with daddy for a little bit. And you know what that means, right?"

Elle nodded her head and clapped her hands excitedly. She then breathed in a yawn and rubbed at her eyes with balled-up fists.

"Yeah, I'm tired too, darlin'," Dean admitted. "But daddy's gotta bring home the bacon. Mama's going to school so we won't always have to be stuck here."

Shortly after their marriage, Dean and Renee moved into a one-bedroom apartment on campus where Renee was attending school: Stamford University. It was thankfully away from the rough and rowdy part of campus with all the fraternity houses, but some nights the parties could still be heard just across campus. Rent was mercifully cheap but Dean struggled to keep his family afloat some months even with their discounted living expense.

"How about we get you some pancakes?" Dean asked his little girl. The tiny blonde nodded excitedly but nestled into Dean's shoulder as her eyes started to close again. "No no, Elle, we gotta get goin'," Dean sat his daughter on the edge of his bed. He never raised his voice to her, always speaking in a gentle tone so she didn't grow to become afraid of him. "Get changed from your jammies, put some clothes on, and we can head out, ok?"

Elle nodded her head. Dean ruffled her curly blonde locks and kissed the top of her head. He too started to get ready, first taking a quick shower and then putting on a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. Elle had picked out her own clothes, which consisted of a pair of brown cargo shorts and one of Renee's t-shirts. Dean cracked a smile, then helped his little one pick out a more size appropriate top to go along with her outfit.

* * *

Fort Zerox, as it had been previously known when Dean was a child, was where Dean spent most of his free time in the early mornings. He worked the breakfast shift cooking eggs, bacon, pancakes, and whatever else the regulars or "just passing through" people may have wanted. Renee was reluctant about letting her daughter hang out at a dive bar filled with bikers and drifters, but it's not like they had a lot of options about childcare at the moment. Renee's parents had all but disowned her after the wedding, Dean's mom was out of the question, Roman's parents had day jobs as well, and Dean wasn't about to ask his best friends to watch his kid so he could go to work. Sika and Patricia, Roman's mom and dad, offered to help Dean financially if he so happened to need any extra cash, but Dean was too proud and too stubborn to accept help when he needed it. Ambrose somehow managed to keep his money struggles a secret from Renee this whole time as well, which he thought would be borderline impossible but he managed.

Dean said good morning to the locals that were already there. He placed Elle at the end of the bar in a booster seat so he could keep an eye on her while she colored or munched on her pancakes.

"Ok, you want your usual stuff, right?" Dean asked his daughter, making sure she had enough Crayons and coloring books as she wanted. "Pancakes and bacon?"

Elle smiled and nodded her head. Dean frowned at her lack of verbal response, but there wasn't much he could really do about it.

"Still not talking, huh?" Mandy, one of the newer waitresses, approached Dean and his daughter. She was mostly hired because she was Dollface's niece and the aforementioned Fort Zerox legend decided to hang up her apron and order booklet some time ago.

"She'll get there," Dean figured with a shrug. "Some kids talk later than others. I'm sure she'll talk when she's got somethin' to say."

Mandy smiled at the tiny child. "Hi, sweetie. Whatcha got there?"

Elle held up a partially colored picture of a motorcycle.

"Oh," Mandy raised her eyebrows. "You like motorcycles, huh? Motorcycles... and dinosaurs?"

Dean shrugged again, which made Mandy chuckle. Elle waved her hand at her dad, then pointed at her belly; That was her personal way of telling him she was hungry.

"I know, darlin'," Dean told his daughter. "Anything for you?" He asked the blonde waitress. "Glass of water and a Triscuit cracker?"

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Dean. How about a mushroom and bacon omlette? Extra cheese?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, sure. Can you grab her a glass of chocolate milk too?"

"Yeah, of course," Mandy ruffled Elle's hair. "Anything for my niece."

Dean chuckled dryly. "Don't be talkin' like that around Renee. She already thinks you're trying to get in my pants. The last thing I need is for her to freak out about, 'oh, you made that big tit blonde chick niece to our daughter? How could you?' or some lame sh..." Dean almost let an expletive leave his mouth, but a curious look from his daughter made him catch his words and try again. "Nonsense. See, Elle? No bad words from daddy today."

Mandy and Elle both laughed at that. Dean excused himself to actually get started on prepping the kitchen for breakfast while Mandy fetched a glass of chocolate milk for Elle.

* * *

After working the morning shift at the restaurant, Dean had a brief few hours to take a nap before he had to leave for his second job. At night, Dean as a package handler at the post office. It wasn't ideal but the hours were short and he got paid a wage almost double than what he did at Fort Zerox. Plus, Elle was usually ready for a midday nap right around the same time Dean was anyway.

This time, Dean woke up from another pleasant to find his daughter in her own bed across the room. The reason for his awakening was another head of blonde hair laying on his chest while her right hand loosely gripped him below the waist and stroked him into full arousal.

"Fuck, Rey," Dean half grunted, half chuckled. "I appreciate what you're doing, but I'm so fucking tired."

Renee pecked Dean softly on his cheek. "I know. But it's been a little while since we got to mess around. And Elle actually let me tuck her in without a tantrum."

"Thank you for not waking me up, but I can help you know," Dean snickered. "I'm not completely useless."

Renee swung her shapely legs over Dean's lap, showing her husband her lower half was already nude. As his wife settled on his erect member, Dean checked to make sure his daughter was still sound asleep.

"She's out like a light, babe," Renee said, scratching her fingers over Dean's chest. "Focus on me."

Dean slid his hands over Renee's hips. "How was school?"

"Good," Renee bit her tongue to muffle a moan. "Got an A on my exam. I can start interning pretty soon. Get some extra cash for us."

"I can always figure that shit out, Rey," Dean assured. "You don't have to worry about money. Daddy's got that all under control."

Renee moaned under her breath. "Oh, daddy."

Dean gripped Renee's hips and flipped her over so he was on top. "Shhh," he teased his wife. "You can't wake up the baby."

Renee shut her eyes. "Then stop being so good at making them."

Dean, checking on his daughter one more time, covered his wife's mouth with his hand and double his pace. Renee's eyes shot open and she grunted loudly into Dean's hand. She pulled and pried at his paw to let her make the noise she needed to produce, but Dean shook his head and kept his hand in place. Finally, Dean felt Renee unravel around him. He pulled his hand away and pulled her in for a kiss just as he grunted at released into her.

"Happy early Birthday to me," Renee giggled breathlessly, pulling Dean into her with another kiss.

"Few more days and you're an old lady," Dean grinned when Renee playfully swatted him on the shoulder. "Big "two-one". What do you have planned?"

"Just going to get a cake for Elle," Renee said. Renee and her daughter shared a birthday. It was Elle's third and Renee's twenty-first coming up in a few days. "Maybe daddy can buy momma some beer."

"Maybe," Dean chuckled. "Love you, baby. I gotta get goin' soon. Don't wait up for me, ok?"

Renee shook her head. "Nope. Just no flirting with any cute blonde girls."

"Mandy says hi," Dean snickered at Renee's glare. "The receptionist at work doesn't know I have a thing for blonde chicks, so don't freak out."

"I'm the only blonde chick that's allowed to get dick from you," Renee hissed through her teeth, raking her fingers through Dean's unruly hair.

"You know it, baby doll," Dean offered his wife one more kiss then rolled off the bed to get dressed for his second job. "Just leave me supper in the oven and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Renee blew her husband a kiss. "Love you, daddy."

Dean partially closed the bedroom door as he stepped out. On the kitchen table, a letter with his name on it caught his eye.

"Fuck," the letter addressed to Dean was about rent; It was a few days behind and the landlord was not happy from the looks of it.

Dean tucked the letter in his pocket and headed out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean's second job was modest and was nothing to brag about, but it helped put food in his wife and daughter's bellies so he didn't complain all that much. The post office across town was open only to the night crew that handled and sorted the hundreds of packages they received during the day. Simple yet complicated enough to screw up but Dean had managed to make it this far.

The job started at eight p.m. and ran until midnight. Since the shift was so short, Dean didn't get to have a lunch break. However, the pay was fourteen dollars an hour. Simple pocket change to some, but supper for Dean's family most nights.

Dean entered the nearly empty post office. Sitting at the front counter was the night receptionist, a pretty blonde named Alexa of whom Dean loved to tease. She was short and had long blonde hair with red highlights. Alexa could pass for Mandy's sister if they were sitting side by side.

"Hey, gorgeous," Dean greeted the tiny woman with a crooked grin.

"Fuck. Off." Alexa muttered though her eyes stay glued on her phone screen.

Ambrose tapped the counter with his calloused hands. "Look, I forgot my ID again. Can you do me a solid and let me in?"

Alexa rolled her eyes. "You're going to get me fired, Ambrose."

"Please. Like they'd ever fire you," Dean snickered. "You're fucking the supervisor. Don't you get discounts on, like, stamps and shit?"

Alexa scanned her own ID badge on the card reader. "Get the hell out of here before I get my fiance to punch you in the dick."

"Sounds kinky," Ambrose stole a handful of MnM's from Alexa's candy jar. "Thanks, Lexi."

"Yeah yeah," Alexa offhandedly said under her breath.

Dean's shift went quick as it always did. He didn't mind the hard work of lifting heavy boxes from delivery trucks onto conveyor belts. He just didn't like that Renee and Elle would be fast asleep when he came back home.

Dean punched out, then stood in line with his coworkers to collect that week's paycheck and the new schedule for the following three weeks. Sonya, Dean's boss at the post office, handed him his check with a friendly smirk.

"Thanks, boss lady," Dean took a moment to check the schedule for the forthcoming weeks. He frowned. "You're docking my hours, Son?"

Sonya shrugged. "Sorry, Ambrose. I'm cutting the college kids loose completely. We just don't need that much help this time of year. It's based on seniority."

"Sonya, come on," Dean hated having to plead for more work, but it's not like he had a lot of options. "I'll come in earlier. I'll stop hitting on Alexa-"

"You what?" Sonya asked.

"That was a joke," Dean sighed. "There's gotta be something."

Sonya shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ambrose. The best I can do is give you a call if someone calls in sick or doesn't show. That's it. This shit usually picks up again in the winter around Christmas, so just stick around."

"I'm behind on rent, man. What if-"

"Ambrose," Sonya cut in. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my call. I'd give everyone the hours they wanted if I could. But I can't."

Dean shook his head. "Fuck. All right, it's... fine. Have a good night, man."

Dean reluctantly made it back outside to his minivan. The reality of the situation hadn't really caught Ambrose until he saw the car seat in the back row through the rearview mirror. Cursing out loud, Ambrose slapped his hand on the steering wheel, causing the horn to beep.

"Rey's gonna be pissed," Dean muttered to himself.

Dean hated letting the people he loved down, especially his wife. Renee gave him the greatest gift any woman could give her husband: their little girl. Plus, she basically cut all ties with her parents since they strongly disapproved of Dean and his choices in life. The last thing she was owed was for her husband to be a good-for-nothing loser who couldn't even have a decent job to support them.

Sighing heavily, Dean started his car and started backing out of his parking spot.

* * *

Renee's sleep was interrupted by someone unlocking her front door and trying to quietly shuffle into the living room. Thankfully, Elle was still fast asleep beside her mother. Renee placed a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead and silently slipped out of bed.

Dean was seated at the kitchen table with a bottle of beer in his hand. He caught Renee's soft smile and turned his gaze away from her. The news about his layoff was probably less of a big deal than he thought, but Dean still dreaded to let his loved ones down. Renee noticed Dean's change in attitude right away.

"Rough night?" Renee asked, taking a seat beside her husband.

Dean took a swig from his beer. "My hours got cut. Which means I won't be bringing in a lot now."

Renee nodded. "But you're ok? Nothing bad happened at work?"

Dean cracked a grin. It was classic Renee to ignore the dilemma at hand to make sure he was all right. They could be thrown out of the apartment tomorrow morning and Renee's biggest concern would be if Dean and Elle were ok.

"I told my boss I flirt with her fiance just to see if she would get pissed," Dean admitted, earning a small chuckle from his wife. "Turns out she isn't that happy about it, but I managed to fight off the attack dogs before they did any permanent damage to my 'baby maker'."

Renee reached across the table and held onto Dean's wrist. "Hey, well figure something out. That's what we're good at. That's the entire basis of our relationship: Just figure shit out as we go."

"Why haven't you divorced me yet?" Dean asked, picking at the label of his drink. "I'm such a fucking bum-"

"That loves and supports his family," Renee added quickly, cutting Dean short. "And you're not a bum. You're my sexy, hard-working hubby that would do anything for me and our little girl."

Dean smiled. Hearing any mention of Elle always warmed his heart. "How was she tonight? Has she said anything yet?"

Renee shook her head. "We had mac and cheese for supper. Then we watched Paw Patrol for a little while. I let her lay with me until she falls asleep. I fell asleep though."

"School's a pain in the ass?" Dean asked.

Renee shrugged. "It's the same it has been. I know you said no, but I can start-"

"I don't need you to stress yourself out with bills and shit, babe," Dean insisted, finally making eye contact with his girl to show how serious he was trying to be. "That's my job. Your job is to go to school and be a great mom. You're doing awesome at both of those things, by the way. The way you make Elle giggles makes me think that maybe I'm not the worst person in the world."

"My dad is the worst person in the world," Renee said, making Dean chuckle. "You're the best. You're a great dad and an amazing husband. Is it gonna suck having a little extra cash? Yeah, but we've dealt with worse. I can always ask my mom for some money."

"Ok, now you're just talking crazy," Dean said, baiting a laugh from his beloved.

Renee gently squeezed Dean's arm. "I know you have us. I believe you can do it. But just know there's no issue asking for help sometimes."

"I need help getting my rocks off," Dean stated. "You focus on school and the baby. And my thing when work was shit."

Renee rolled her eyes. "You always go there. Life isn't all about sex."

"Yeah, but the love of our lives was a product of my never resting libido," Dean pointed out.

Renee giggled under her breath. "That is true. The best birthday present I've ever gotten. I dream about that day a lot. Mostly you almost passing out in the delivery room."

"I had food poisoning from Kai En Tai's."

Renee sounded a single chuckle. "Right. And my vagina splitting open wasn't a key factor in that?"

Dean winced. "That... Ok, I'll admit that was a weird thing to see. But you are still the hottest girl in the universe."

"Well, yeah. You better not be eyeing anyone else... Especially that Mandy girl."

"You mean Auntie Mandy?" Dean chuckled nervously as Renee's grip tightened around his wrist. "That was a joke, babe. I told her you don't like it when she says that shit."

"Good," Renee pecked her husband on the cheek. "Come to bed. Staying up getting shitfaced won't help anyone. Maybe the baby will stay asleep when I tuck her in and there will be a little present for you."

"An Xbox?" Dean asked sarcastically.

Renee shook her head slowly. "Boys. I'm glad we had a girl."

Dean lightly patted Renee on the backside as she started to walk away. She giggled at Dean, blew him a kiss, then stepped back into their bedroom.

Dean picked the "past due" letter from his pocket. The check he got from the post office job was thankfully enough to cover rent, but that meant he wouldn't have any extra money for groceries and anything else the family would have needed.

Dean's thought process was interrupted by the excited giggling of his daughter. Polishing off his beer, Ambrose rose to his feet and joined his two favorite girls in his bed.

* * *

The following morning, Dean panicked momentarily when neither his daughter nor his wife was in bed next to him and there was no note next to his phone. His fear quickly left when he heard the heart-stealing sound of his baby giggling and Renee's humming coming from down the hall.

Dean slowly sat up, trying to wake up as fully as he could. The always tired young man rubbed his eyes to chase the sleep away. The ever-looming dark cloud that hung over his head made Dean think the absolute worse was coming out of the day, but he chuckled at the squeal of laughter coming from the bathroom and used his moment of joy to push himself out of bed.

Renee and Elle were in the shower. Dean pulled back the curtain and playfully roared at the two girls, making the smallest Ambrose shout then burst into giggles.

"No classes this morning?" Dean asked, starting to brush his teeth.

"I have all afternoon's today," Renee said from within the shower. "But my teacher's let me bring Elle when I want to, so it's no big deal if you get held up at Zerox again, ok?"

Dean sighed at his reflection. Why couldn't he just fork up the cash for a sitter? Were times REALLY that tough that he had to resort to the bare minimum? Yes, evidently, they were that rough.

"Better she goes to a college lesson and learns to be smart like her mom," Dean said.

"Is your biggest fear that she ends up like you or something?" Renee asked.

"Yeah," Dean thought. "No," he spoke out loud. "My biggest fear is she'll go to a state college when she's older and get throat fucked by a football player."

"Dean!" Renee laughed. "Don't swear around Elle. I don't want my baby's first words to be a curse word."

Dean spat out his toothpaste. "You're right," he returned to the shower after stripping off his clothes and joined his wife and daughter. "Besides, my baby girl will grow up loving pussy as much as me. Right, Elle?"

Elle giggled, but Renee shook her head and rolled her eyes. "That's another expletive, Dean. Stop cursing in front of Elle for goodness sake."

"I know," Dean kissed the scruffy blonde hair on his baby's head. "I'm sorry," he pecked Renee on the lips next. "How about I make it up to you two and whip y'all up some french toast at work?"

Renee kissed her baby on the cheek. "That sounds great, babe."

Dean's eyes shifted to his wife's chest. "Listen, Rey. I know you stopped breastfeeding awhile ago, but your tits... Jesus, babe."

Renee rolled her eyes. "Not with the baby in here with us... Maybe later after your shift."

Dean and Renee shared a kiss under the warm stream of water. Dean then placed several kisses on Elle's cheek, making the little Ambrose burst into a fit of laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

The formerly named Fort Zerox was hardly ever busy enough to make Dean hate his job. The orders came in steady and he was never given too much downtime to get bored. Dean took it upon himself to keep the kitchen clean and up to the level of the standard he himself would find acceptable if he were a paying customer. Dean surprisingly kept things above standard and expectation to the point that Little Chief, the current owner and son of former owner Big Chief, hired on Dean as assistant manager and lead of the kitchen. Dean already considered himself in charge since he ran breakfast alone and no one else came in until the two lunch and dinner cooks came in to relieve him.

At the moment, with his cleaning and prep work finished in record time, Dean stood on the business side of the counter with his wife and daughter happily eating their breakfast. Elle hadn't expressed her pleasure verbally, but she giggled with glee each time Mandy offered more chocolate milk or complimented her drawings.

Dean took to helping Mandy stay ahead of her chores while chatting with his beloved Renee. Mandy insisted that Dean didn't need to aid in her cleaning just because he had some downtime between orders, but the ever stubborn Ambrose ignored her gentle pleas and brought back dirty dishes and wiped down tables.

"Dean, really," Mandy told Dean back in the kitchen as he brought back another armful of plates and glasses. "I appreciate the help but you don't need to go out of your way to clean. Go spend time with Renee and Elle."

Dean grinned. "You and I both know that I can't sit still for two seconds. Especially when I'm supposed to be the golden boy around here. The employees expect me to stay on top of everything. I have to be a team leader."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "It's just you and me here, Dean."

"Exactly," Dean paused to dry off his hands and face Mandy. "And what kind of example would I be setting for you if I sat around talking to my wife and daughter all day?"

Mandy's lips lifted into a tiny smirk as she playfully slapped Dean on the chest with her order book. Dean chuckled and followed the blonde out of the kitchen to return to Renee and Elle.

Renee had seen the brief and totally innocent exchange through the divider between the kitchen and the front of the restaurant. To most people, it was friendly banter between coworkers. But Renee didn't particularly like another woman being friendly to her husband, regardless if it was harmless or not. Renee just had the feeling that Mandy likes talking to Dean for other reasons besides him being her supervisor. She figured Dean knew Renee felt that way too or he wouldn't give her a hard time about it most of the time either.

Mandy gave Renee and Elle a friendly smile. Elle waved a syrup-coated hand back, while Renee flashed a tight-lipped smirk. Dean chuckled at his daughter's messiness, taking a baby wipe to clean off her hands and face.

"Jeez, babe," Dean joked at Renee. "So focused on me that you don't see Elle covered head to toe in Mrs. Buttersworth?"

Renee stood from her seat. She cleared her throat. "Is there somewhere we can talk alone?"

Dean furrowed his brow. Judging by the look on his wife's face, Renee wasn't joking in the slightest. That unnerved Dean to a degree that made his stomach drop.

"Uh, yeah," Dean turned to Mandy. "Do you mind watching Elle for a second?"

Mandy nodded. Dean gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek. Renee did the same, then followed Dean through the kitchen and into a back office.

Dean backed into the small room, keeping his eyes locked in Renee as she followed him inside and closed to door behind her. Renee crossed her arms and silently stared into Dean's soul. Dean just looked back, wondering what he had done to upset his wife so much.

"Is there a camera in here?" Renee asked, her tone hinting that she was as serious as anyone could be.

Dean looked up at the far corner of the room. "Uh, yeah. But it's just for show. Chief keeps it in here to scare anyone trying to..."

Dean's gaze lingered back to his wife, who was pulling her shirt over her head. Dean's eyes widened as open as far as they could as, stopping his breathing for a moment, Renee tossed her balled up t-shirt at him and giggled.

"You look surprised," Renee cooed, her vocal expression shifting to a more flirty tone.

"Uhhhh, what the..." Dean stuttered, at a loss of words.

Renee nodded her head at the office chair sitting a few feet from her husband. "Sit. Now." She ordered.

Dean started to get the picture. With his heart leaping from his chest he hurried to the chair to excitedly sit and await whatever Renee had planned.

The topless blonde, reaching behind her back to unclip her bra, showed off her chest to her husband before dropping to her knees before him.

"What's the occasion?" Dean asked with a smirk.

Renee tugged at Dean's belt buckle. "I love you. You're my husband," she unzipped Dean's jeans and pulled them down his legs. "I want you. I know you want me. I don't know why you're asking so many questions, babe."

Dean decided to stop talking when his boxer-briefs followed his jeans. He prayed to a higher power that the camera in the corner was really for show. If not, whoever checked the tapes would have quite the show for them later in the day.

* * *

Mandy wasn't sure what Dean and Renee were talking about. All she was really worried about at the time being was the adorable little girl scribbling on a piece of paper with her required crayons.

"How are you so cute, Elle?" Mandy asked the smallest Ambrose. "You must get it from your mommy."

Elle giggled and nodded her head. Mandy, taken aback for a second since the toddler apparently understood her, chuckled and ruffled the small child's curly blonde hair.

Renee then stepped out of the kitchen. She flashed Mandy another tight-lipped smile and took her spot next to Elle once again. After a moment, Dean followed. His face was flushed and openly displayed a crooked grin that all but gave away what he and Renee were "talking about."

"Are you ok?" Mandy asked under her breath.

Dean blinked. "Huh?"

"Are you alright, Dean?" Mandy asked again, raising one of her eyebrows.

Dean nodded slowly. "I love my life, Mandy."

Mandy was confused as ever when Dean walked away from her. She followed him, wondering what had really gone down. She figured it wasn't a bad thing when Dean leaned over the counter and kissed Renee on the cheek, but now her curiosity had peaked.

* * *

Just a little while later, Dean, Renee, and Elle were laying in the same bed together. Elle was fast asleep on her father's chest. Dean, one hand resting on his daughter's back, whispered sweet nothings to both of the most important blonde girls in his life. Renee smiled softly, holding and fiddling with Dean's free hand and giving him the occasional peck on the cheek or lips.

"Who woulda thunk it?" Dean thought out loud. "You and me, together, since middle school, living the American dream."

Renee giggled softly. "This is your American dream, baby?"

Dean nodded. "Gorgeous wife. The cutest little girl in the world. Married. Barely holding on financially. I'm living my best life, babe."

Renee nestled closer to Dean, stealing another kiss to his lips. "Mine too. But..."

Dean lifted an eyebrow. "But what?"

Renee looked at her daughter. "I want two more."

Dean smirked. "Put Elle to bed and we can make her a little brother or sister right now."

"Do you still have some left after this morning?" Renee shot back with a giggle.

"No, I definitely do not," Dean wrapped an arm around Renee's shoulders. "But you know I'd do anything for you, baby. Put kids in your belly. Rob a bank. Defraud a multi-million dollar corporation for the sake of shits and giggles."

"You are so weird," Renee commented.

"Yeah but you love me," Dean whispered.

Renee nodded. "I do. Very much." She gave her beloved a kiss on the cheek. "Do you think you can run to the pharmacy quick?"

"Why?" Dean asked.

Renee bit her lip anxiously. "It's... _that_ time of the month and I'm out of my girl stuff."

"Oh, _that's_ why you only used your mouth back at Fort Zerox?" Dean chuckled, laughing harder when Renee punched several times in the shoulder.

"Keep it up, smart guy, or it'll be the last one you get for a very long time," Renee teased.

Dean carefully passed his daughter over to Renee and slid out of bed. After giving both girls a kiss on the forehead, Dean crept quietly from the bedroom.

* * *

The quick jaunt to the corner pharmacy was a good breath of fresh air. Dean strode quickly through the chill air to get in and out as quickly as he could.

Just as he stepped onto the curb, a firm hand gripped Dean's shoulder. Dean spun, ready to throw hands if needed at whoever the hell was grabbing him like that. He paused instead, seeing it was a short dirty blonde girl in a fur jacket.

"Hi," the girl chirped, smacking her lips as she chomped a piece of gum. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"I don't have any change, man," Dean replied.

The girl rolled her eyes. "No, not that. I need you to grab me some cold medicine."

Dean furrowed his brow. "Why can't you?"

The girl rolled her eyes again. "Because they banned me from the store."

Dean nodded slowly. "Ah, I see. You need some stuff for your next batch of meth. Yeah, no thanks. I'm good."

The girl slowly opened her jacket, showing Dean she was in nothing more than a skimpy, low-cut top and a leopard print skirt.

"I'll let you put _it_ anywhere," she giggled, closing her coat. "And I mean anywhere, sweetie."

Dean lifted his ring hand. "Happily married."

"How about six grand?" The girl offered.

Dean chuckled. "Six grand? Sure, like I believe that."

The girl reached into her coat and produced an envelope. Dean narrowed his eyes but took the supposed bribe. Sure enough, there was a massive collection of one hundred dollar bills, but Dean wasn't sure what six thousand looked like off-hand.

"Well?" The girl spat.

Dean made eye contact with the woman again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Just need some cold medicine," the girl gave Dean a once over. "And you're for sure the cutest hunk of man I've seen all day. Do mama this one favor and the cash is all yours."

In hindsight, Dean should've handed the cashback and left the area without any other thought. He should've just said no and did what he came to do. But, as he remembered how late he was on rent and how desperately he needed extra cash right now, Dean tucked the envelope in his jacket pocket and entered the pharmacy

Finding what Renee needed was easy enough, but picking up a bottle of Nyquil was harder than it had been at any other point in Dean's life. He felt a sick feeling in his stomach, thinking that he was basically helping someone with their addiction when they should be getting help instead. The woman reminded Dean of his mom. She was a lot like the girl outside: willing to do anything for her next fix.

The girl did light up like a Christmas tree when Dean returned to the curb and offered the plastic bottle. The girl thanked Dean and pecked his cheek. Dean waited for a second after the girl left to see which direction she was going. She was headed to the shadier side of Stamford, which Dean did not find at all surprising.

The six thousand dollars weighed a little bit heavier as Dean made his way home. Sure things would be a little more merciful now when it came to money, but was it really worth possibly hurting a woman in her quest to feed an addiction? It was too late to change his mind now and Dean lowered his head as he continued walking home.


	4. Chapter 4

"Holy fuck!"

Just a moment before, Renee beamed with happiness as her loving husband returned to their apartment. Renee greeted her Dean with a kiss on the cheek and a few sweet whispers in his ear, mentioning that Elle was sound asleep in bed. Dean didn't respond in any fashion, which threw Renee off greatly. Dean was never one to reject or ignore her advances, regardless of what kind of mood he was in.

Renee was about to get to the bottom of what was troubling her better half, but he more or less answered before she asked when he dug an envelope from his jacket pocket and dropped it on the kitchen table.

Renee stared at the stack of money stacked so high that it had spilled out of its manila case across the table. Dean stood silently with his hands tucked in his pockets, also staring in disbelief at the stack of cash.

Renee quickly covered her mouth when she realized she exclaimed an expletive within earshot of her daughter.

"That's exactly what I thought too," Dean finally spoke, switching his worried gaze to his wife.

"How much is it?" Renee asked.

"About six grand," Dean figured.

Renee was about to yell another swear at the top of her lungs, but she covered her mouth in shock to silence herself. Dean nodded his head slowly, still trying to read his wife carefully to hopefully decipher what Renee was thinking.

Renee bit nervously at her thumbnail. "What... uh, how did you get this?"

Dean sighed. "I was headed into the corner store. This chick stopped me and asked me to buy her some cold medicine. She says she's banned, so she offered cash. She offered to fuck me first, but I wasn't even gonna consider that."

Renee sat at the table. Like she was afraid the different bills were going to bite her, Renee picked up a few of the hundreds and studied them closely.

"It's all real," Dean confirmed. "I checked it before I got her the medicine."

"Who was it?" Renee asked, still looking at the stack of cash.

Dean shrugged. "Some drug whore, I think. She was wearing a big fur coat and some skimpy shit under it."

Renee took a deep breath. "You didn't let her touch you, right?"

"Shit..." Dean muttered, shaking his head. "I thought you thought better of me."

"No, babe, it's not that. I do trust you, I just..." Renee chuckled, her tone showing just how stunned she was. "Some random woman gave you a stack of cash for cold medicine?"

"That's what happened," Dean assured. "I swear. I'm as confused as you are, Rey."

Renee started piling the cash into differentiating piles, some bigger or smaller than others. The first stack was a few bills high, the second stack a little taller, the third one about the same size as the second, the fourth being the smallest stack, and the fifth consisting of the rest of the cash Renee hadn't already sorted.

Renee pointed at the first stack. "Rent," she told her husband, looking him in the eyes as she spoke. She pointed at the second. "Food," she moved onto the third. "Fix the muffler on the car," she gestured at the fourth. "Some walking around cash in case we need something." She finally came to the last bundle. "This goes in our checking account and saved for a rainy day."

"You want to keep the money?" Dean asked.

Renee shrugged. "I'm not that happy about how you got it, but we could really use this, babe. I'm half-considering you finding out who that girl was to try and get more."

Dean shrugged. "I could just start hooking."

Renee rolled her eyes. "You're not funny, Dean. I like Fort Zerox. Keep working there if that's what you love to do. But this cash is going to help us out a lot."

"I know," Dean sighed. "I just have a bad feeling about all of this."

Renee rounded the table to embrace her husband. Dean held Renee close, pressing his lips against the top of her head. Renee tilted her head up to meet her husband with a soft kiss.

"You did it, babe," Renee chuckled. "Daddy stepped up and saved the family. Even if you had to do a little shady shit."

Dean smirked. "The highway to hell is paved with good intentions."

Renee firmly gripped the front of Dean's jeans with both hands. "It really is, Dean."

Dean chuckled, a little bit afraid at Renee's sudden sexual aggression. Dean cleared his throat to speak, but Renee quickly unfastened his belt and grabbed for the body part that helped create the small child in the next room.

"Jesus, it's just six grand," Dean whispered with a raspy laugh.

Renee giggled, nuzzling her face in her husband's chest. "And it makes me so freaking happy that we don't have to freak out about money for a little while. We can just focus on Elle and us and... your little friend down there."

"And school," Dean brushed hair behind both of Renee's ears. He held her face between both of his chapped hands. "You still go to school and be the role model Elle needs. Daddy's buying Nyquil for shady bitches, Mama needs to go to school and show our daughter the light."

Renee pecked Dean's lips. "You're a role model too, babe. You'd do anything for us and that's why I love you."

"My uncanny talent in lovemaking isn't the only reason?" Dean teased with a grin.

Renee swiftly stroked her hands. Dean sucked in a shaky breath through his teeth and chuckled under his breath. Renee declared her love with a sultry whisper and was about to settle on her knees, but Dean stepped away from his wife when their bedroom door opened and a half-asleep toddler shuffled into the kitchen with tiny fists rubbing her eyes.

Dean turned his back to his daughter to tuck his member back in his pants. Renee knelt in front of her daughter and brought her in for a hug.

"Whatcha up to, sweetie?" Renee asked the smallest of the Ambroses.

Elle pointed at her belly, indicating to her mom that she was feeling hungry.

"You're hungry," Renee scooped her daughter up in her arms. "What do you want to eat?"

Dean made his way to his wife and daughter. "We can go out to eat. It's still pretty early and we haven't gotten a chance to do that in a while."

Renee kissed Elke's cheek. "How does that sound, sweetie?"

Elle was already asleep again by the time Dean and Renee realized. Dean chuckled and offered to order pizza for the three of them. Renee carried Elle back to the bedroom while Dean took a seat on the couch with his phone in his hand.

As Dean typed away at his phone, the thought occurred to him that he didn't need to necessarily need to worry about the dinner's budget. The way he had earned the mass amount of money still made Dean feel like he had fucked up in some way, but Renee wasn't even a little upset with him. Maybe being in the right place at the right time wasn't the worst thing.

As Dean finalized his request for pizza, cheesy bread, and chicken wings, he settled back into the couch to await his bride to join him for a movie or something along those lines until their food arrived. Renee had something else in mind, however, when she strutted back into the living room in nothing more than an oversized tee and a pair of panties.

Dean's eyes shot open. "Hey..."

Renee smirked. "Hi. Pizza's on the way?"

Dean nodded but didn't say anything. Renee moved like a mirage across the room, moving her hips side to side as she walked. The beautiful blonde straddled her husband's waist and scratched her fingertips through his hair.

"My mom and dad shouldn't be home for a few hours," Renee whispered in Dean's ear, topping of the flirting with a giggle.

Dean's mind flashed back to the first time he and Renee had sex. It was a similar situation with Renee even wearing a similar outfit as when she first asked Dean to sleep with her. Of course, back then they didn't have their own apartment and a sleeping daughter in the next room.

"Doesn't your dad have cameras and shit in here?" Dean replied, laughing to himself when Renee giggled again and nuzzled her face in his neck.

Renee sat back and peeled off her top. Dean's vision blurred for a second, only to come right back to him in an instant.

"I think I'm ready for my first time," Renee hissed.

"I don't remember it going this well the first time," Dean said, breaking character for a moment. "I'm pretty sure you were a giggling mess and I was too worried about cumming too early and ruining my life."

Renee threw her head back and laughed heartily. "Yes, I do remember all of that. And I remember you put the condom on backward... twice."

"I wore condoms?" Dean joked, earning a light slap on the shoulder.

"I think once," Renee giggled. "Then never again. I'm not complaining though."

Dean nodded. "Me neither."

Renee pecked her husband on the lips again. Dean pressed his lips against Renee's neck, then quickly switched to her chest. The stunning blonde let out a breathy moan and held her husband close. Renee disposed of her bottoms, Dean doing the same with his own, then Renee was quick to settle in Dean's lap again, this time exhaling sharply as he easily slid inside her.

* * *

The next morning, Dean was wiping down a few booths in the everlasting Fort Zerox. Mandy, of course, tried to tell him he didn't need to bother with helping her clean the outside of the kitchen, but Dean was too stubborn to listen to the woman and her instructions.

Dean, at the moment, was deep in thought about what transpired between himself and Renee before their pizza arrived. It was probably the best sex they've had in quite some time. Shortly after Renee redressed herself, the food arrived and Elle was waddling back into the living room to share with her parents. Dean sat on the couch with his daughter in his lap and his wife curled up under his arm. It was perfect endings like this that Dean looked forward to every day.

The bell above the front door dinged. Dean hadn't seen who it was, as he'd been shining up a table. He heard high heels click against the linoleum behind him, but didn't think anything of it at first.

"Hey, hot stuff."

Dean peeked his head around, following the voice. To his surprise, the woman from the night prior was standing there in the same coat as before. This time, she wasn't alone. Standing beside the woman that bribed Dean was a slender man covered nearly head-to-toe in tattoos. The man bore a leather jacket and dark sunglasses. Dean couldn't see his eyes but figured the man was giving him a once over or trying to read him.

Dean nodded at the woman. "Need more cold medicine?"

The girl giggled. "So you do remember me. Good. Told you this was him, Corey."

The guy, 'Corey' apparently, nodded his head slowly. "Thanks, babe. I was wondering who my wife was throwing her allowance at."

Dean shrugged. "It was either cash or a round in the sack, but my wife had just gone down on me, like, an hour before, so..."

Corey smirked. "I like you, man. You're sharp. You don't scare easy."

"Should I be scared?" Dean asked.

Corey shook his head. "I don't think so. I'm Corey. My wonderful little wife is Carmella. I asked her to find someone to help get her what I need. I just didn't think she'd give the entire stack to you."

"Let me guess," Dean stated. "You want it back? Here to break my kneecaps and steal my car?"

Corey laughed, as did Carmella. "No, man," Corey dug through his pocket, then pulled out a business card and held it out for Dean to take. "Just figured, if you want to provide more help, this is my number."

Dean snickered. "I ain't no drug runner. I don't do this kind of shit. I've seen what it can do to people."

Corey dropped the handwritten number on the table. "Just think about it. If you wanna talk more, give me a call. Cool?"

As Corey and Carmella moved for the door, the small blonde flashed Dean a grin and a sultry wink. With Mandy giving him a look of concern, Dean picked up the card and stared at the number. He didn't think much of it, but he tucked the number in his pocket and returned to his cleaning.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean's mornings were always going to be occupied by the eatery he grew up in. The fact that he was approached by a strange man with his equally, if not slightly more, eccentric wife didn't affect his love for the restaurant.

Elle and Renee weren't there to see the man approach Dean. Renee didn't have classes that day and Elle was still sound asleep by the time Dean needed to head out, so the family's patriarch insisted Renee stayed in bed as long as possible and he'd return with takeout from Fort Zerox after his shift. Renee agreed and sent her husband off with a kiss and a tired declaration of love.

Dean's shift had ended about half an hour ago. The afternoon cooks, Otis and Tucker, were already here and serving burgers and grilled cheese, but Dean dragged his feet under the guise that he needed to double-check payroll for the week. In reality, Dean was digging further into the man and woman who visited him early that day.

Dean Googled the number given to him on the back of a Starbucks rewards card. Google couldn't give away who the number belonged to, but it did confirm it was out of the same area of Connecticut Dean was located in. That meant this number was local and most likely legit. What Google didn't answer was what this 'Corey' guy and 'Carmella' wanted him to do exactly.

Dean sighed. Fort Zerox was his dream job. Dean had told Little Chief that he'd buy the place and run it himself so Chief could retire in peace with his family. Chief chuckled but Dean was serious. Dean would never realistically be able to own and operate a restaurant with the abysmal amount of money he brought in and the little wages Zerox made in the first place.

Then there was this number. Had any of this really happened? Did he really gain a six thousand dollar payday for buying cold medicine for a woman in leopard print? Was this number even real? Did Renee really kiss the life out of her husband when he presented the envelope full of money to her? Apparently, or Dean wouldn't be stressing out about it and instead would be laying in bed laughing with his wife and tiny daughter.

A soft knock sounded from the office door. "Hey," Dean turned to find Mandy's gentle smile waiting for him. "Heading out soon?"

Dean nodded, tucking the phone number into his pocket. "Yeah, I'm just finishing up some shit. What are you still doing here? I thought you have class in the afternoon?"

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Some virus is going around. It's probably just a scare, but they suspended classes until they figure it out. It's whatever."

Dean chuckled. "But SU isn't shut down? Whatever."

Mandy tilted her head to one shoulder. "You ok? You seemed pretty spaced out today."

"Tired," Dean said with a yawn. Though that wasn't his main issue, Dean was extremely tired.

"Well hurry up with whatever you're doing," Mandy said softly. "I'm sure Renee and Elle are missing you. Tell her Auntie Mandy says hi."

"Renee or Elle?" Dean said with a chuckle, baiting a snicker from Mandy as well.

"See you later, Dean," the blonde beauty said before walking away from the office.

"Hi, Mandy," Dean overheard Otis say. "You look nice today."

"Thank you, Otis," Mandy replied.

After a few moments, Otis spoke again. "Purty lady, Tucky!"

Dean chuckled to himself and collected the few things he brought with him to work: phone and car keys. After a heavy sigh, Dean collected his leather jacket and left the office.

* * *

Dean hardly had time to process where everyone was before Renee gripped him by the collar of his jacket and all but dragged him into the living room. The apartment was quickly filled with Elle's soft snoring and Renee's quick gasps for breath. After everything was said and done, Dean still hadn't realized what had just happened until Renee was fixing her top and kissing him on the cheek.

Dean blinked. "Rey, you know I love you more than anything, right?"

Renee grinned. "Of course, baby."

Dean continued. "So remember that when I ask why you've suddenly turned into a sex fiend in the last, what, day?"

Renee giggled. "I can't have sex with my husband whenever I want?" The stunning blonde brushed the scraggly hair out of Dean's eyes and kissed him softly on the forehead. "My hubby is providing for his family and that makes me happy. I miss you during the day and I'm used to sneaking off to a janitor's closet or empty classroom with you anyway."

Dean chuckled. "Still haven't weaned you off that teenage sex drive, huh?"

Renee shook her head. "Nope. And I don't plan on slowing down either. So don't think about going Mormon just yet."

"Maybe after we have a few more kids," Dean sat up, fixing his clothes in case Elle woke up from her nap to venture out to see her parents.

Renee curled up under her man's arm and laid her head on his shoulder.

"How was work?" She asked, running her fingertips over his left knee.

"It was fine," Dean remembered Corey and Carmella and their proposition. They hadn't specified what they wanted Dean to do, but Dean could only assume it was less than legal things. Dean continued after his thought. "Usual people. Dropped a ladle behind the grill. Other than that, nothin'. Oh, Aunt Mandy says hi to you and Elle."

Renee rolled her eyes. "Of course she says that. But that doesn't mean you should say it too, mister."

Dean shrugged. "I just don't get why you get so weird around Mandy."

Renee dropped her head. "I dunno."

"Hey," Dean picked his wife's chin up with his fingertips. "You can talk to me. Say whatever you wanna say."

Renee sighed. "I just think you'll find her more attractive than me and ask for a divorce, ok?"

Dean furrowed his brow. "Are you serious?"

Renee nodded her head. "Yeah..."

Dean shook his head. "Ok, first of all: you're insane. _You_ are the hottest woman I know. Period. Second of all: I can't do that to my boy Otis," as Dean said that, Renee started laughing. Dean grinned and kept talking. "Otis has game and he's persistent. Trust me, Rey. And, like, you're literally the mother of my beautiful daughter. Why would I want to screw any of that up?"

"It's just the way she's always around you and always wants to talk to me and Elle," Renee said.

"She just thinks Elle is adorable," Dean said.

"Well she is," Renee said, making Dean chuckle. "She's my daughter. She has to be adorable."

Dean kissed the top of Renee's head. "Exactly," he said with a smile. "You are the most amazing person I know. Maybe that's why Mandy wants to be around you. She's taking notes and shit."

Renee giggled. "Tell her to get in line. Only one person gets all of my time."

"Charly and Cathy from your study group?" Dean asked.

Renee sat upright and checked her phone. "Oh, fuck! I'm late for a study group."

Dean widened his eyes. "Babe, I was totally kidding."

Renee quickly threw a jacket on and slid her shoes on. She hurried across the room and kissed her husband deeply. Dean squeezed her butt and pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth. Renee moaned into the kiss but pushed off.

"No time for another round," Renee said, heading for the door. "Give Elle a kiss for me. I'll be back before supper. Order Kai En Tai's!"

"Bye," Dean said with a chuckle to the sound of the door slamming.

As soon as the door shut, Dean's toddler daughter shuffled out of the bedroom with her tiny fists rubbing against her eyes.

Dean outstretched his arms to his daughter. "Hey, sweetie. It's just you and me for a little while, ok? Mama is at school getting smarter since Daddy is such a fuck up."

Elle giggled. It did concern Dean that Elle reacted positively to cursing, but he figured he could blame it on TV if Elle's first word was an expletive.

* * *

Renee's sneakers lightly thudded up the front steps of SU's campus library. She was late, but the others in her study group were later every other time they gathered.

Renee spotted Cathy Kelly and Charly Caruso seated at a table together. They were already going through their notes for their shared class: Intro to Computer Science. Well, Cathy was studying and copying notes, but Charly was texting back and forth with her boyfriend. What made Renee smile as she made her way over was the way Cathy gave Charly a dirty look whenever Charly's attention was taken by her phone.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Renee apologized as she sat down across the table from her friends. "Dean got home kinda late and I fell asleep after I put Elle down."

Cathy grinned. "How is she?"

"Great, like always," Renee giggled. "What chapter are we on?"

"Fifteen," Charly spoke up, still typing away at her phone. "We were just talking about designing a spreadsheet for any information collected about basic things, like... I think apples."

Cathy sighed. "Charly, you are ridiculous. Only you could ignore everything that's going on and still manage to be passing this class."

Charly raised her brow, turning to Cathy. "What did you say?"

Cathy rolled her eyes. Renee was about to speak up, but her curiosity peaked when a fourth person sat at their table.

"Hey, Renee," Mandy Rose, the waitress from Fort Zerox who worked with Dean, was the odd man seated at their table.

"Hey," Renee expressed quizzically. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, Charly said I could study with you guys," Mandy said. "I love learning about computers but the high school is closed because of that thing going around."

"Who said you could?" Renee asked.

"Dolph, Mandy's cousin, the douche at the other end of Charly's phone," Kathy sighed. "If she'd even focus for more than five seconds on something other than him."

Renee heard herself chuckle in relief. "Oh, you're still in high school."

Mandy shrugged. "Well, I'm eighteen and a senior."

"Oh," Renee said with a sigh.

Renee shook her head slightly and tried to veer her attention away from the other blonde who was chatting up Charly and Cathy like they were old friends.

* * *

Back at home, Dean had come to a crossroads: should he or shouldn't he call the number that was on the back of this card?

Sitting in Ambrose's lap was his tiny daughter. The main thing that kept Dean's mind coming to considering calling the number was Elle's future and well-being. Obviously, the six thousand he'd already earned wasn't going to last forever.

"Well, Elle," Dean sighed. "What should we do?"

Elle was fast asleep on Dean's lap. Dean chuckled and kissed his daughter's curly blonde locks. From the very first moment his little girl came into the world, Dean swore he'd do everything in his power to make sure Elle never lived the same kind of life he suffered through as a child. Did Dean think that meant getting mixed up with shady people? No, but he didn't exactly have much choice.

Dean dug a loose quarter from his pocket. "Ok," he told himself. "Heads... I call. Tails I just pick up more shifts at Zerox."

As the silver coin flipped through the air, Dean caught himself holding his breath. He hoped it landed on tails and he didn't have to get caught up in someone else's bullshit, but he also knew option two would mean an easier life for himself and his family.

The coin clattered on the coffee table and came to rest after a few bounces.

Dean sighed heavily. "Well... shit..."


	6. Chapter 6

The following morning with the Ambrose family saw the trio returning from the grocery store. Renee, a beam of positive energy, bought everything her heart could desire as a housewife and mother who studied at university part-time; That mainly consisted of actual ingredients to dishes she could make that didn't involve coupons or ordering something for take-out just because they had a sale going on.

Dean, carrying most of the bags and his baby girl, hobbled into the apartment behind his wife. Today was a special day in many ways. The young family hadn't been shopping for a large abundance of food in quite some time. Thanks to Dean's hefty payday two nights prior, they didn't feel any worry in their budget and spent most of their cash on various snacks they wouldn't otherwise purchase.

"Oh, I can finally make homemade chicken alfredo!" Renee exclaimed, dropping several paper bags on the kitchen counter. She'd been on a mini-rant since first arriving at the store, listing off various delicacies she could whip up for her husband and daughter. "Wait, did you remember to grab tortillas? I've always wanted to make my own chips and salsa!"

Dean set his little girl down so she could occupy herself with her toys. Dean, holding his hands behind his back, stepped close to his wife. Dean nestled his face in Renee's neck, planting several soft kisses on her tender skin. Renee sighed heavily, her loins a mess for her husband.

"I'm so happy you're excited, babe," Dean whispered, kissing his bride on her cheek. "Like, it's been a while since you've been this happy about food."

Renee turned to face her husband. "I know, right? I haven't made anything in forever! And no, before you say anything, frozen pizzas and bagels don't count."

Dean stuck out his bottom lip, showing a fake pout. "But I love frozen pizzas..."

Renee pecked Dean on the lips. "Then you'll love the homemade pizzas we're making for dinner tonight."

A light reddish tint shaded Dean's cheekbones. Renee kissed her husband again, making the blush darken on his face.

"I, uh, got you a little somethin'," Dean kept his hands behind his back. There was a brief moment when the family was out shopping where Dean slipped away to find his wife's gift; Dean was nearly caught, but he was quick to throw Renee off the scent before she pressed him.

Renee's lips curled higher into a toothy smile. "Aww, baby..." Mrs. Ambrose draped her slender arms over her husband's shoulders, locking her fingers behind his neck. "You don't have to buy me things. You already gave me the best present anyone could give me."

Dean shot a glance at his baby daughter; Elle was actively hitting a Barbie with a toy mallet.

"Well, I think you'll love it anyway," Dean brought his hands forward, holding out a small black box against his chest.

Renee's eyes gazed curiously into her husband's as she accepted the box. She popped the snap with her thumb. A high-pitched gasp escaped her throat, her tears almost immediately filling with tears of joy.

"It's not a new Subaru or anything," Dean quipped.

Renee lifted her gift from its container. The piece of jewelry was a silver, metallic chain with a capital "A" held together at the bottom.

"'A' as in 'Ambrose'?" Renee guessed.

Dean nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. It's kinda lame, I know. But I thought you'd love it, so..."

Renee handed the necklace to her husband. As she pulled her hair up, Dean secured the charm around Renee's neck. The blonde beauty took a moment to admire the shiny letter, trying hard not to cry in front of Elle. Dean embraced his woman from behind, chuckling lightly as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"Is it ok?" Dean asked. He knew Renee was not the kind of person to hate a gift, even if it was the shittiest thing in the world. But his mind kept coming back to the sad thought that maybe she didn't like it after all.

Renee spun in Dean's arms. Before Ambrose knew it, Renee pushed him against the kitchen counter with her lips. The two young adults stayed close, not saying a word, with their lips keeping words silent and tears at bay. Dean felt his hands over Renee's exquisite body, which made her deepen the kiss and scratch her fingers through his hair.

The hair thing started as a normal pet thing Renee loved to do with Dean's scraggly brown locks. That innocence changed once during their Sophomore year of high school when Renee decided to use it as her calling card for when she was "in the mood". To say Dean was surprised when it first happened and involved the intent of sexual contact would be an understatement, especially since they were at the movies with mutual friends at the time.

"Elle's awake, baby," Dean rasped, his voice low and quiet as if his daughter would have any clue what he was talking about if she overheard.

"Dang it," Renee lulled, scratching her fingernails deeper into Dean's scalp. "I was hoping for a little pre-dinner workout."

Dean checked the time on the stove. "Well, I gotta head into Zerox real quick. Maybe if Elle is down for her nap when I get back..."

Renee's breath hitched, a sultry grin of seduction and surprise stretching across her face. Dean's way of showing he wanted intimate love was squeezing Renee's hip and pulling her close by the small of her back just above the tailbone. Renee "accidentally" mentioned that was a sweet spot of hers once or twice, and Dean fully knew it was usually easy enough to get Renee in the mood when he needed her.

"You're not going anywhere..." Renee nibbled at Dean's lower lip, taking a fistful of his leather jacket.

Dean smirked. "Baby, I gotta get goin'. I'll be home in half an hour."

Renee loosened her grip. "Fine. If you insist." Her words were light and playful, letting her husband know she would be waiting for him when he came home.

"Just be good and ready for me when I get back, ok?" Dean whispered.

"Yes, daddy," Renee cooed.

"Ok, that's not fair!" Dean exclaimed with a chuckle.

Renee scoffed. "And grabbing my hip is?" She shot back with just as much sarcasm.

"Maybe twenty-five," Dean said. "Just a quick meeting. Then I'll be back."

Renee exchanged a quick kiss, too quick in her opinion, with her husband. "I love you. Don't be afraid to hurry back."

Dean snickered. "I will, babe. I love you too. Love you, Elle!"

Elle mashed her toy hammer into the unfortunate doll again a few more times in response. Dean chuckled, then blew his wife a kiss and slipped out of the apartment.

* * *

Dean hated lying. Dean hated being dishonest. Even white lies like hiding a surprise birthday party made him feel a little guilty. Lying to his wife was something Dean never did unless it was for something good like a surprise party or a sudden gift.

Dean did go to his workplace for a meeting, but it wasn't with the owners of his favorite restaurant. Dean was going for a meeting with a shady pair of people he met by chance one night a few moons back.

Dean stepped into Fort Zerox with a knot in his chest. He'd been around on his days off before for a lunch date with Renee or dinner takeout if he didn't feel like cooking. This time, his usual joy in seeing his childhood hangout spot was replaced with worry and a little fear.

Dean spotted Mandy at the counter. The young blonde waved to her boss, being met with a smile and a nod. Otis and Tucker were slaving away over the hot fryers and grills in the back. To Dean's right, seated in the first both like they promised over the phone, were the two people he came to see.

"Mr. Ambrose..." Corey spoke, gesturing to the other side of the booth with a tatted hand.

Dean took a seat without a word. He wasn't about to say anything that would otherwise be in his sarcastic repertoire of snappy comebacks to awkward situations. Instead, very uncharacteristically, he kept his lips closed and folded his hands over the surface of the table.

Mandy approached the table, her order booklet in hand. "How are we doin' today? Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

"Coffee, please," Corey requested. He still wore dark shades over his eyes, making it nearly impossible to tell what he was looking at. From Dean's perspective, with the sun causing a small glare over the tint, he could tell Corey's ice gold gaze was locked on him.

"Chocolate milkshake, pretty please?" Carmella chirped, snapping her gum as her Jersey accent over-pronounced each syllable.

Mandy turned to her boss. "Dean?"

"Uh, just water," Dean requested. "Put my discount on this too, by the way... please."

Mandy jotted down a few things, then headed back for the counter. Dean watched the waitress walk away, then focused back on the people he was here to see.

Corey chuckled. "I like that. Employee discount. Little perks and we haven't begun talking yet."

Dean nodded stiffly. "Well, I gotta kiss a little ass, right?"

Corey shrugged. "Might help."

Dean stayed silent. He looked across the table, trying to see into Corey's glasses again. His stare was as cold as ever but he was scanning the room now. Carmella, on the other hand, bore the brightest grin Dean had ever seen on a person as if she was having the time of her life. Dean furrowed his brow, but Carmella's adoring look never broke. Dean just about jumped through the roof when Carmella's foot brushed against his calf, but he kept his bearings and sat up.

"What made you call us back?" Corey finally asked, breaking the tension.

"I got heads," Dean said, eyeing Carmella when her foot caressed his leg again.

"Fair enough," Corey lifted his glasses from his eyes to his forehead. His dark stare scanned the area again before resting on Dean like a laser sight locking on its target. "I like you. I do. You don't come off as the type that scares easy. Do you?"

Dean shook his head. "Nothing's fazed me in years, man. 'Cept maybe your lady here playing footsie with me under the table."

Corey glanced at his wife. "That means she likes you too. Don't worry, I won't charge you unless she touches skin."

Dean was about to speak, but stopped when Mandy returned with everyone's respective drinks. Dean almost inhaled a sip of water when Carmella's foot slid to his inner thigh. Corey nudged Carmella with his elbow. Carmella, with a giggle and a sip of her milkshake, pulled her foot away.

"You guys want any food?" Mandy asked.

"I'm fine for now," Corey replied.

"Me too," Dean responded.

"I'd have some of you," Carmella purred.

Mandy's brow lifted. "I'm sorry?"

"She's fine," Corey insisted. Once Mandy left, he turned to his wife again. "Relax."

Carmella shrugged as she sipped at her dessert.

"Why are you really here?" Corey asked Dean. "Really. Why ask for a job from two people you don't know?"

Dean thought about Elle; He thought about Renee. With how things were going, they weren't going to make it by for very long with his limited source of income. Four thousand dollars was a good day and brought a lot of relief for a little bit of time, but it was not going to last very long. Dean needed to make sure his wife and daughter's futures would be easy and stress-free for as long as humanly possible, even if it did mean buying cold medicine for shady people.

"My wife and daughter," Dean told.

"Aww, I love babies," Carmella cooed, ignoring the dirty look from her husband.

"That's it?" Corey asked. "You agreed to buy 'Mella cold medicine just to support your family?"

Dean nodded. "They're everything to me, man. I'd do anything for them."

Corey smirked. "I admire that. It's very noble of you. It'll land you in hot water one day, maybe, but it's admirable..."

Dean lowered his voice. "So, what? You guys want me to help make meth or something?"

"Meth?" Corey chuckled, as did Carmella. "No, we don't do that."

"Then why the cold medicine?" Dean asked.

"I had a cold," Carmella muttered.

Dean blinked. "Then what do you guys do?"

Corey nodded across the room. "See that chick by the jukebox? The one in the tight miniskirt?"

"Yeah?" Dean said, noticing the girl in his peripheral.

"That's Aliyah," Corey explained, a sinister grin on his lips. "She's one of my girls. She's meeting a client here and I'm making sure it runs smoothly."

"You're a pimp."

"Basically."

"So you want me to make sure appointments go well?" Dean asked.

Corey took a drink of his coffee. "Yes and no. I want you to be a driver for us. Our last guy... well, there's a reason we have an opening."

Dean chuckled dryly. "So, like, hooker Uber?"

"Working girl," Carmella corrected.

"Hooker Uber sounds about right," Corey said.

Dean noticed Aliyah follow one of the regulars into the handicap bathroom. He shuttered, finally understanding why so many used condoms had been found in that particular bathroom.

"What's the pay?" Dean asked.

"Ten percent of what the girl gets," Corey answered. "Someone makes five grand, you get five hundred. That simple."

"That simple," Carmella echoed.

Dean nodded slowly. "So... when would you need me? Like, I have to run this place in the mornings."

"Between midnight and four am," Corey confirmed.

"I could actually pull that off," Dean figured. "I used to have a third-shift job, but the hours got cut. Maybe I can tell my wife I got some hours back."

"See? I knew you were a smart guy, Dean," Corey praised. "So, how 'bout it? Do we have a deal? I can give you a call later tonight and get you started."

Dean pictured Renee and Elle as he reached for Corey's hand. If all things failed, at least he could say his journey to Hell was paved with good intentions.

* * *

Dean inhaled deeply, taking a moment to get his bearings back. Renee sat back on her feet, gulping down what her husband offered her that hadn't landed on her face or chest.

"Fuck..." Dean muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. The moment he returned home, Renee was on him like white on rice. His mind was clouded with guilty thoughts but it quickly cleared when Renee's necklace bounced against her chest as she rode his waist, almost putting Dean into a hypnotic-like trance. His heavy mind made it hard for him to enjoy things as well as he normally would, which meant he lasted a lot longer than normal. Renee noticed about the second or third time she came, but put it off as exhaustion and finished her husband off using her hands and mouth when she fell too fatigued to do the work anymore.

"You ok?" Renee asked, mopping up the mess with her fingers then licking them clean.

"Yeah, just... fucking tired as shit," Dean expressed, staring at the ceiling through the gaps between his fingers.

"Thought that might be the case," the shapely young woman stood, found her shorts and Dean's t-shirt on the floor to quickly redress herself, then sat beside her husband on the sofa. "I'm glad you got home fast... I was pretty shocked when something else wasn't fast either."

Dean snickered. "Maybe I'm finally getting used to the sex."

Renee giggled. "No way..." she brushed Dean's hair away from his eyes, playing with the long, shaggy strands while trying to read his mind through his facial expressions. "What's on your mind? You don't last long unless you're super stressed."

Dean sighed. "Uh, I found out I'm getting my hours back at the post office. So, I won't be here during the night again."

"That's not something to be stressed over," Renee perched herself on her knees. She placed a soft kiss on Dean's lips, then his cheek. "Just don't work so much that you get burned out, ok? I don't want you dropping dead from a heart attack before you're thirty."

Dean chortled. "I'd be getting off too easy that way, darlin'."

"You're getting harder to get off, actually."

"You're complaining?"

"God, no," Renee giggled, baiting a chuckle from Dean. "I'm perfectly ok with you working at night again. I just want a date night sometime soon. Maybe Seth and Nay can watch Elle for a little bit. Maybe Rome and Paige too."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, we should. We haven't had a date night in forever. Our sex life while be next if we're not careful."

"No chance," Renee stated bluntly. "I love you too much to give up anything about you."

"Maybe for your birthday?" Dean suggested. "Obviously, we'll have cake and people over for the actual day, but maybe we go out the day after. Just the two of us? Noe Elle, no worries, no work..."

Renee pecked Dean's lips. "I love that. Let's do it. Maybe take me to that steakhouse in the city. The one with the cowboy on the front?"

"Blackjack's?" Dean guessed.

Renee nodded. "Yeah. Prime rib... baked potato... daddy's cock..."

"Renee Ambrose, the mouth on you!" Dean jokingly scolded, shaking his head lightly to Renee's laughter.

Renee pecked Dean's cheek. "Pizzas? I'll get the dough stretched out if you wanna shower quick."

"Sure. I'll hurry just in case Elle wakes up," Dean swatted Renee on the ass when she walked by. Renee threw a playful middle finger in Dean's direction, which prompted the boy to snicker as he ducked into the bathroom.

* * *

Dean waited and waited for that phone call. The one that would ultimately start a serious of events that might benefit his family, but could also get him in a world of shit if caught.

It was around midnight. Dean laid in bed, trying not to doze off from a combination of a long day and a belly full of pizza. Renee slept soundly under the comforter, her left arm haphazardly sprawled over her husband's chest. Elle was sounded asleep, her soft snores filling the silence in the bedroom.

Dean's phone rumbled. Instead of the phone call he was expecting, a simple text displayed across his screen.

_1414 South Jefferson Ave_

Dean tucked his phone away. He slipped out from under Renee, then tucked her back in and kissed her forehead. Renee moaned in her sleep, then rolled over to her stomach. Dean did the same to his daughter, tucking her into bed and kissing her curly blonde locks.

Dean plucked his keys from the kitchen table, then silently stepped out of his apartment into the chill night air.


End file.
